Hall of Fame legend says Oleksandr Usyk isn’t an all time great: “It’s not like my era”

Many fans view Oleksandr Usyk as one of the best heavyweights of all time but it seems one Hall of Fame inductee doesn’t agree.

Usyk is a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, having twice defeated Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois during his career.

He also became undisputed cruiserweight champion and won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, with his incredible achievements clear to see for everyone.

One boxing legend isn’t that impressed though, as three-weight world champion James Toney told Fight Hub TV that he doesn’t rank Usyk as highly as others.

“He’s [Usyk] average but he’s not great. None of these fighters are all time greats. It’s not [like] my era, they don’t fight nobody. The only way you become great is by fighting people who are great.”

Toney’s era saw him compete at the highest level during the 1990s and 2000s, claiming world honours at middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight, beating fighters such as Mike McCallum and Iran Barkley along the way.

He also fought at heavyweight where he defeated Evander Holyfield and then won the WBA heavyweight title with a victory over John Ruiz, but it was later ruled a no contest after he failed a drugs test.

While Toney may not rate Usyk as a great, the Ukrainian still remains the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion so could yet change the Hall of Famer’s mind with any future performances, but that may not come in his next bout after a surprise rumoured next opponent.